Violin body rest



March 1, 1938. H. MCGDWAN 2,110,023

VIOLIN BODY REST Filed April 28, 1937 INVENTOR.

/@ BY GH /Md mam mmacmwvmfimw ATTORNEYE.

Patented Mar. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 28,

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in violin body rests.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a device which may be readily removably secured to the under face of a violin, which,

when the violin is held in proper playing position, affords properly spaced out-standing padded bosses o-r frames for engagement with shoulder and chest portions of the player, making for more secure, comfortable, and proper bodily engagement with the instrument.

A further object of the invention is to provide a violin body rest in the form of a pair of spaced, curved, outwardly projecting bearing pad plates rigidly connected by a narrow bar, with the bearing plates having integral violin lip engaging flanges, and said plates being suitably padded with a fabric covering for the entire device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a violin body rest which, except for the pads and covering, is formed from sheet metal, Whereby the device can be manufactured expeditiously and inexpensively.

A further object of the invention is to provide a violin body rest adapted for removable wedging engagement with the lips of the under face or plate of a violin and having additional means for aiding in the attachment of the device to a violin.

A further object of the invention is to provide a violin body rest which is of very simple construction, is strong and durable, is easy to apply to an instrument, forms adequate and properly located resting surfaces, and is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved violin body rest, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the rear bottom portion of a violin with the improved body rest applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan. view of the body rest on a larger scale and with the covering ma.- terial and padding on one side broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, only with the covering material and padding fully applied.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will appear that the improved rest includes a shoulder pad frame 5 and a chest pad frame 6, both of the same being of curved and 1937, Serial No. 139,489

angled cup-like form and being fabricated from sheet metal.

The pad frames 5 and 6 are rigidly connected together in spaced relationship by a sheet metal connecting strip 1 which has inwardly angled and. flanged extremities 8 and 9, which extremities are rigidly secured to under face portions of the members 5 and 6 respectively as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The strip I may be formed with a longitudinal rib I 0 for strengthening purposes.

The connection between the pad frame 6 and the end 9 of the strip 1 is such that the longitudinal median line of said pad frame 6 forms a considerably greater angle with the longitudinal median line of the strip 1 than does the longitudinal median line of the pad frame 5, with the result that said pad 6 has a substantial lateral angular off-set relative to the remainder of the device. The end edges of the members 5 and 6 are provided with channeled flanges II and [2 of arcuate contour and for the purpose hereinafter to be explained.

The outer convex face portions of the frames 5 and 6 carry resilient pads or cushions I3. The entire device, including said pads, is encased in or covered by a covering of a suitable fabric or the like, as indicated at M.

The use of the improved rest is clearly indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawing wherein said rest is applied to the under face or plate [5 of a standard violin Hi. It will be observed that the sides of the violin, at its outer end are outwardly bowed and the plate 15 has laterally projecting or overhanging lips 11. The rest is slipped over the outer end of the plate 15 and the channeled flange II is engaged with the lip I! on one side, while the channeled flange i2 is engaged with the lip H on the other side. The rest is then forced forwardly until there is binding and frictional engagement between the flanges i l and I2 and bowed portions of the lips ll. t will be noted, however, that due to the shape and construction of the rest, the connecting strip 1 will assume a somewhat diagonal position and the pad frame 5 will position on the violin more forwardly than the pad frame 6 which is additionally directed at an angle.

The entire device, when mounted as described, bridges the under end portion of the violin and is entirely spaced from the plate 15 with the pad members 5 and 6 projecting outwardly substantially and in a plane beyond that of the strip 1. The rest only engages the violin at the edge lips H, In the forward edge portion of the strip l and formed through the covering I4, is an aperture [8 through which one end portion of an elastic loop 19 is secured. When the rest is applied to a violin the loop l9 may be removably stretched over a suitable projecting edge 20 of the violin to additionally aid in the securement of the device to the instrument.

In usage, the violin bearing the improved rest is played and positioned in the usual manner, only the rest properly elevates the violin relative to the player's shoulder and other body portions and prevents the bottom plate of the violin from actually touching the player. The pad portion rests on the players shoulder, while the pad portion 6 rests on the players chest and makes for greater comfort besides aiding in the positioning of the instrument. The device is furthermore light and durable, inexpensive to man-' ufacture, easy to apply, and is well adapted for the purpose described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. A violin body rest, comprising a pair of spaced-apart pads, and. a strip of reduced width rigidly connecting said pads and having its major portion offset inwardly of the faces of the pads, outer end portions of the pads being downturned and formed with rigid means for removably frictionally engaging opposite edge portions of the under face plate of a violin.

2. A violin body rest, comprising a pair of spaced-apart, curved, metallic pad plates, pads applied to the outer faces of the same, and a metallic strip of reduced width rigidly connecting said plates and having its major portion extending inwardly of the planes of both of the pad plates, outer end portions of the pad plates being downturned and channeled for engagement with the opposite edge portions of the under face plate of a violin.

3. A violin body rest, comprising a pair of spaced-apart, curved pad plates, pads applied to the outer faces of the same, a strip of reduced width rigidly connecting said plates and lying in a plane below that of both of the pad plates, and a flexible covering for the entire rest, outer end portions of the pad plates being downturned and channeled for engagement with the opposite edge portions of the under face plate of a violin.

4. A violin body rest, comprising a pair of spaced-apart, curved pad plates, pads applied to the outer faces of the same, a strip of reduced width rigidly connecting said plates and lying in a plane inwardly of that of both of the pad plates, a flexible covering for the plates, pads and connecting strip, and a yielding loop member secured to said strip intermediate the plates and adapted to be engaged with a forward projection on the violin.

5. A violin body rest, comprising a pair of spaced-apart, curved pad plates, pads applied to the outer faces of the same, and a strip of reduced width having its opposite ends secured to inner face portions of said pad plates, the median line of one of said plates forming a greater angle with the longitudinal median line of the strip than does the median line of the other of said plates, outer end portions of the pad plates being downturned and channeled for removable engagement with opposite edge portions of the under face plate of a violin.

6. A violin body rest, comprising spaced-apart pads, and a strip connecting said pads, said pads protruding outwardly relative to the strip, outer end portions of said pads being downturned and channeled for engaging opposite sides of a violin.

HAROLD MCGOWAN. 

